Hurricane Irma: island by island damage across the Caribbean

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Barbuda

Hurricane Irma has devastated the island of Barbuda, with its Prime Minister Gaston Browne calling the damage "heart-breaking and devastating." He added that 95 per cent of buildings on the island had been damaged and that "Barbuda is literally rubble." A two-year old has reportedly been killed but there are fears that the death toll will rise, with two British women reported missing by their mother. The sister island to Antigua was caught in the eye of the storm on Wednesday evening and it is estimated that 60 per cent of the 1,400 residents had been left homeless. The clean-up operation is expected to take years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. More urgent is the need to evacuate again, because of the incoming storm Jose. This major storm is expected to pass Barbuda on Saturday and further cripple an island that is already reeling. With the airport destroyed, the only way out is by boat.

This image provided by the Antigua & Barbuda Broadcasting Services on September 07, 2017 shows a destroyed house on the Island of Barbuda after Hurricane Irma hit the IslandCredit:
AFP

St Martin

On St Martin, at least four people have been confirmed dead by French officials although the local interior minister said this number could rise further. The island, which has Dutch and French territory, has seen large areas destroyed. French President Emmanuel Macron said that the impact was "hard and cruel" and called on the international community to commit to combating global warming "so that we can avoid such natural disasters in the future." He also confirmed that three emergency teams were being sent to the island, where the 90,000 residents are split roughly equally between Dutch and French territories. The harbour and airport are open again but roads have been destroyed and are impassable in many places.

This Sept. 6, 2017 photo shows storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, in St. Martin. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting treesCredit:
Jonathan Falwell via AP

St Barthelemy

St Barts, a French Island territory home to 9,000 people also suffered damage as the hurricane swept through the Caribbean last night. The island, seen as a slice of the French Riviera in the Caribbean and home to designer shops and expensive hotels is also picking up the pieces. The fire station has been flooded, and there is a total power blackout. The famous Eden Rock hotel, owned by the parents of James Matthews, Pippa Middleton's husband, has been left in tatters by the storm. There have been reports of injuries but no fatalities.

This handout picture released on the Twitter account of Quentin Liou on September 7, 2017 shows a house reduced to rubble on the French administered territory of Saint BarthelemyCredit:
AFP

Anguilla

Anguilla, a British territory has seen one death and widespread damage. So far, no British citizens have contacted the foreign office for assistance according to Alan Duncan, foreign minister for the Americas. Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, has spoken to the Chief Minister for Anguilla and said that the UK is "taking swift action to respond" to the disaster.

Virgin Islands

Sir Richard Branson braved the eye of hurricane Irma along with family and staff on his private island of Necker in the British Virgin Islands. Later, his son Sam confirmed that "all humans on Necker are ok, although a lot of buildings destroyed." The other British Virgin Islands were hit by strong winds and heavy rainfall and it was reported by Sam Branson that multiple bays had been flooded on Tortola and that there was no power on Virgin Gorda.

Kenneth Mapp, US Virgin Islands governor, said the islands were getting badly needed federal help after Hurricane Irma significantly damaged St. Thomas and St. John with top winds of 150 mph for more than four hours. Fire and police stations collapsed and the main hospital in St. Thomas sustained heavy damage.

Search and rescue crew members walks a street during a search mission as hurricane Irma hits Puerto Rico in Fajardo on September 6,2017Credit:
AFP

Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, three people have died, including one elderly woman who fell en route to a shelter. In the north-west of the island a woman was electrocuted in her home, and one man died after a traffic accident. Government activity will be suspended from tomorrow and all public schools will be shut. The governor says that although the hurricane has passed, they are expecting more rain in the next few days. More than one million people do not have electricity, while 200,000 residents are still without water. Hospitals are a concern, with over half not operational and 30 relying on back-up generators for power. The government has reported that there have been 198 road injuries caused mainly by fallen trees, 127 flights cancelled and 500 pets abandoned or left behind after the hurricane.

A woman pulls a travel case on a rock scattered road in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, on September 7, 2017Credit:
AFP

Dominican Republic

"We expected much worse" said Lindsay Sauvage, speaking to the New York Times from the Dominican Republic. With much more time to prepare, officials fanned out across the country and the government cancelled work for public and private companies so that workers could prepare for the hurricane. Wind and rain has caused minor damage to beachfront properties and hotels, with some holidaymakers forced to sleep in the theatre of one hotel in the East of the island.

People walk past debris as Hurricane Irma moves off from the northern coast of the Dominican RepublicCredit:
Reuters

Where is the hurricane headed to next?

Hurricane Irma is expected to pass near Haiti, where all schools have been closed, and is headed towards the Bahamas Turks and Caicos and then Cuba. Hurricane warnings are in place and residents have been made aware of the danger that could ensue. In Cuba, a hurricane watch is in effect for eastern parts of the country, including the province of Guantanamo, home to Guantanamo Bay Prison. The hurricane is expected to make landfall in Florida on Saturday morning, with airports, public buildings and schools already shutting ahead of the storm. Florida Governor Rick Scott has urged residents to evacuate their homes, saying "this is not a storm you can sit and wait through. We can't save you after the storm starts."